Archive for January 12th, 2016

Immigrant rights advocates gathered Wednesday in San Francisco to call on local police not to cooperate with immigration officials following last weekend’s raids on Central American families. Demonstrators also offered advice to migrants on what to do if immigration agents show up at their door.“There’s terror in our streets,” said San Francisco Supervisor John Avalos, speaking in front of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters. Avalos called the recent crackdown a “slap in the face” to immigrant communities. “Only pain and misery will be caused by it,” he said.

The demonstration came just days before San Francisco is set to swear in Sheriff Elect Vicky Hennessy on Friday. Hennessy has said she plans to change San Francisco’s current sanctuary policy to allow for more communication between local police and ICE.

The first raids of 2016, announced before Christmas by the Obama administration, targeted Central American families who had arrived in the United States recently. Some 121 people were deported, mostly from Texas, North Carolina and Georgia. Immigrant rights leaders criticized the crackdown as inhumane, illogical and hypocritical.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said the raids targeted adults and their children who were apprehended after May 1, 2014, had been issued a removal order and had no outstanding claim for asylum.

Critics contend that many of these families might have qualified for asylum but haven’t had access to adequate representation to make their case.

Democratic hopefuls Sen. Bernard Sanders and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, meanwhile, have called for an end to the deportation raids. Hillary Clinton has said she has “real concerns” about the raids, according to a spokesperson for her campaign, but she has not personally denounced them.

At the demonstration in San Francisco, families who came here fleeing violence spoke of “fear” and “panic.”

“Our lives were threatened [in El Salvador] and we are afraid of returning to our country,” said Marvin Franco, who recently came to the United States with his family. “I’m telling Obama, ‘Please, do not deport us.’ If I am deported today, tomorrow I will be killed.”

Doracilia Cortes, whose husband was detained by ICE last month, says their eight-year-old daughter will not stop crying. “This is not what we expected from this country,” said Cortes, who came to the United States from El Salvador in the 1980s.

The conditions that Central Americans are now fleeing were created by U.S. policies 30 years ago, said Luis Ángel Reyes Savalza, a law fellow with Pangea Legal Services and East Bay Immigrant Youth Coalition. “This country, through military interventions in the 1980s and economic policies, has destroyed these countries,” said Reyes Savalza.

In response to the raids, immigrant rights advocates, attorneys and Central American governments are helping to educate undocumented families about their rights. Among the advice given at the demonstration: Don’t open your door; If they say they have a warrant, have them pass it under the door; You have the right to remain silent; Don’t sign anything. Residents are encouraged to report any ICE activity in their neighborhoods to the ICE Out of California hotline, 1-844-TRUST-01.

Local advocates are also launching a social media campaign, #sfswearsin to call on Sheriff Elect Hennessy to continue the city’s sanctuary policy and prevent law enforcement from turning over families to immigration agents.

Hennessy was elected after the fatal shooting of Kate Steinle made national headlines last year. Juan Francisco Sanchez-Lopez, a Mexican national with a criminal record who had been deported numerous times, has been charged with her murder.

Hennessy has said her plans to allow communication between law enforcement and immigration agents would focus on “career criminals.”

But immigrant rights advocates, who say the raids have created a climate of “fear and panic” in immigrant communities across the country, warn that the new sheriff’s plan and the news of raids are eroding trust between immigrant families and law enforcement.

“Police shouldn’t interfere in immigration,” said Cortes, whose husband was arrested and handed over to ICE when the couple went to retrieve their impounded car. “My neighbors are afraid that this could happen to them.”

Nuwla.com, launched by entrepreneur David P. Fenelus, is an online resource designed to connect Black consumers with Black business owners.

Nationwide (BlackNews.com) — Black consumers have a purchasing power of nearly 1 trillion, according to the recent State of the African-American Consumer Report from information and analytics company Nielsen. Sadly less than three cents of those dollars are actually returned to black-owned businesses, leaving black consumers heavily dependent on other cultures for the lions share of their products and services, and ultimately dependent for jobs. The black community has been rallying its own to Buy Black, often at the risk of those sentiments being flagged as inappropriate on popular social media outlets.

Nuwla.com is an information-sharing forum and marketplace, where members of the African diaspora can freely view and share blog posts, articles, and video content by, for, and about the black community.

Nuwla.com is also an e-commerce platform, where black entrepreneurs can upload profiles for their products and services. It is also a social networking site where members can engage, connect, profit, and support other members of the black conscious community through a variety of convenient site tools:

* A black-owned email service provider (the first in existence) from one of three standard Webmail applications: Horde, Roundcube, and SquirrelMail.
* Android TV Box: an operating system that allows viewers to plug-in FREE of charge and access the wide world of live television, TV shows, sporting events, photos, music and more, without incurring monthly subscription fees.
* Advertising: banner space, sidebar, logos, etc.
* E-commerce business store and online shopping mall for black-owned products and services.
* Newsfeed and newsletters.
* And open forum where people of the black diaspora can express cultural pride freely and share views on sensitive topics.

Nuwla.com markets and promote blog articles. Its newsfeed updates with the information of interest to members of the black diaspora. The easy-to-use site assists black consumers in finding the products they need from black-owned businesses, thereby serving to further assist the community in retaining its own wealth.

Since launching in May of 2015, the site has attracted well over 2 million unique visitors. Nuwla is a Creole word. In the English language, it translates to we are here, says David P. Fenelus, president and founder. We want black web users to consider Nuwla as our own collective and go-to site for information, resources and everything needed, pertaining to the black community, black culture, and black owned products and services.

Fenelus is of Haitian decent and launched Nuwla with funding aquired solely from black investors. For more information or for a FREE subscription, visit www.nuwla.com.

Mike Siviwe Elliott, a leader with the Chicago Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression, was arrested late at night on December 29, 2015. Elliott used his cell phone to record an incident on a Metra Train platform involving a young Black female being physically roughed up and handcuffed by a Metra police officer. When the officer approached Elliott in an attempt to take his phone, Elliott moved away and the officer accused him of “battery to a police officer”. He was unjustly arrested, handcuffed and taken to the Metra police station, then transferred to the 5th District police station. He was held for a total of nearly 12 hours.

The 5th District station was flooded with phone calls demanding the charges be dropped and for Elliott to be released immediately. He was released at 11:30am the next morning as activists waited for him in the lobby of the station.

A Press Conference & Rally in support of Mike Siviwe Elliott, longtime activist for police accountability, will be held Wednesday, January 13, 2016, at 8:45 a.m., at the Cook County Criminal Court – Branch 35, 737 E. 111th St, Chicago, IL

Mike Siviwe Elliott, has responded to his arrest by saying, “My arrest is another clear example of why we need community control of the police. Police, whether they work for Metra or the city, continue to trample on the constitutional rights of Black people with impunity. The most logical solution to resolving police crimes in Chicago, is to establish an all elected Civilian Police Accountability Council (CPAC), which would democratically empower the people to hold the police accountable.”

A brief press conference will be held outside the Branch 35 Criminal Court at 8:45AM prior to Mike Siviwe Elliott’s hearing. The hearing will be attended by Mike’s supporters and allies from the movement.

WASHINGTON, DC – The following individuals will be seated in the box with the First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden and Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President, at the State of the Union Address on Tuesday.

For the President’s final State of the Union address, the individuals who will be seated in the guest box of First Lady Michelle Obama represent the progress we have made since the President first delivered this speech seven years ago – from the brink of a second Great Depression and two costly wars to an economy that is growing and renewed American leadership abroad. Their stories – of struggle and success – highlight where we have been and where America is going in the future, building on the best of what our country has to offer. The guests personify President Obama’s time in office and most importantly, they represent who we are as Americans: inclusive and compassionate, innovative and courageous.

Information about these guests and news about the State of the Union is available at WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU.

A Vacant Seat for the Victims of Gun Violence

Last week, the President took a series of commonsense steps to help reduce gun violence in America and make our communities safer.

We leave one seat empty in the First Lady’s State of the Union Guest Box for the victims of gun violence who no longer have a voice – because they need the rest of us to speak for them. To tell their stories. To honor their memory. To support the Americans whose lives have been forever changed by the terrible ripple effect of gun violence – survivors who’ve had to learn to live with a disability, or without the love of their life. To remind every single one of our representatives that it’s their responsibility to do something about this.

Sue Ellen Allen (Scottsdale, AZ)

Criminal Justice Reform

Sue Ellen Allen knows the difficulties that formerly incarcerated individuals face after prison – both as the co-founder of a nonprofit helping inmates reenter society and as a former inmate starting over after her release in 2009. Her organization, Gina’s Team, supports women in Arizona prisons and upon release, gives them the resources they need and teaches them how give back to the community. Named for her cellmate in prison who died in incarceration, Sue Ellen started Gina’s Team with Gina’s parents in an effort to provide women a path out of prison, back into the community and out of additional trouble with the law. She wrote the President to thank him for the launch of a new pilot program that enables incarcerated Americans to receive Pell Grants and to encourage a national dialog that includes women in prison reform. Sue Ellen is proud to be accompanied to Washington by Gina’s mother, Diane, whose daughter gave her a renewed purpose in life.

Gloria Balenski (Schaumburg, IL)

Letter Writer

Like many American families during the Great Recession, Gloria and Norb Balenski faced real economic struggles: Gloria lost her job after 34 years at a major electronics company, the money they invested for their son’s college dried up in the free-falling stock market, and Norb’s job at Chevrolet was threatened when the auto industry cratered. But the actions the President took when he came into office to pull us away from the brink of depression and to secure quality, affordable health care for millions of Americans, helped safeguard Norb’s job and his health insurance. And just in time as he suffered a major heart attack in 2012, racking up $400,000 in medical bills. Gloria and Norb wrote the President a letter last year thanking him for the economic priorities he pursued at a time of turmoil, which Gloria credits with helping her family to bounce back. Today, Gloria is retired, her husband has recovered, and her son recently married, has a job and purchased a new home.

Jennifer Bragdon (Austin, TX)

Community College Student

Jennifer Bragdon’s story showcases how community colleges can adapt to the needs of students. Jennifer, 42, and her husband, George, work full time to pay for bills and provide childcare for their one-year-old daughter, and Jennifer’s other responsibilities restrict her to one class at a time. Even though she won’t graduate for a few more years, she plans to complete her degree and become a middle school teacher. She enrolled in a new developmental math course at Austin Community College (ACC) after being out of a traditional classroom for more than 20 years, and has now successfully completed her college algebra requirements. In March, Dr. Biden met Jennifer at ACC and learned about the campus’ high-tech learning lab that provides more than 600 computer stations for individualized learning and small group sessions, highlighting the ways community colleges are providing flexibility and support for students to stay on track to earn their degrees. Jennifer works as a massage therapist and lives in Austin, Texas with her family.

Edith Childs (Greenwood, SC)

Greenwood County Councilmember

When then-Senator Obama visited a June 2007 campaign stop in Greenwood, South Carolina, a small group of 38 supporters captured the enthusiasm and drive that defined the election. And Edith Childs, a Greenwood County Councilmember, summed up the passion with a simple chant: “Fired up! Ready to go!” When she noticed Senator Obama’s surprise at a fairly small gathering, she sought to energize the crowd calling out, “Fired up!” to which they replied “Fired up!” “Ready to go!” she countered. This call and response captivated larger and larger crowds, and became widely recognized as the unofficial slogan of the 2008 and 2012 campaigns. In December 2009, President Obama invited Edith to the White House for the first holiday celebration hosted by the Obamas in recognition of her ability to distill the enthusiasm that helped carry him to the White House. Edith lives in Greenwood with her husband, Charles. They have three children and six grandchildren.

Cynthia “Cindy” K. Dias (Las Vegas, NV)

Veteran, Veterans Homelessness Advocate

Cynthia “Cindy” K. Dias is a Navy veteran who served during the Vietnam War in a hospital ship as a registered nurse. She managed care for wounded soldiers, and worked alongside the Chaplin as the designated official to provide notification and care for families of wounded and deceased officers. After her service, she worked as a registered nurse in Florida and Louisiana and eventually moved to Las Vegas, where she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress and lost her job before eventually also losing her home. She found a place to live at Veterans Village, a non-profit working with the city of Las Vegas to provide resources for homeless veterans. She now volunteers with Veterans Village, and she works to care and advocate for veterans in the city. In November 2015, Las Vegas announced it had housed every homeless veteran as part of the Administration’s Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness. This challenge was launched in 2014 by First Lady Michelle Obama as part the First Lady and Dr. Biden’s Joining Forces initiative.

Mark Davis (Washington, D.C.)

Small Business Owner

A former basketball player in Washington, D.C., Mark Davis was inspired by the President’s focus on climate change to do something to protect the planet and help his community. Mark took classes, got certified, and started a small business that trains low-income individuals to install solar panels and prepares community members for local green tech jobs. Mark’s company, WDC Solar, is growing, profitable, and giving back. Since 2012, WDC has installed more than 125 solar systems in D.C. at no cost to homeowners with good credit through tax credits and private funds. One of Mark’s proudest moments was working with D.C. Sustainable Energy Utility to start a low-income program that has provided funding to install panels on more than 300 homes. And once the panels are installed, the extra power results in a profit every month – money going back into the community he’s working to transform. In 2016 he plans to implement similar programs in New York, Pennsylvania and Georgia.

Cary Dixon (Huntington, WV)

Mother, Opioid Reform Advocate

In October, Cary Dixon joined the President at a community forum in Charleston, West Virginia, on the opioid epidemic and spoke candidly about the struggles of having an adult child with a substance use disorder. Prescription drug abuse and heroin use have taken a heartbreaking toll on too many Americans and their families, while straining law enforcement and treatment programs. The President believes that resources should be put toward preventing substance use disorders from developing and getting effective treatment to those who need it. As many families have learned, substance use disorders do not discriminate and Cary has turned her experience into action, speaking up for those who are often too stigmatized to say anything. “For too long, we’ve been silent,” she told the panel. “And I think that is holding us back. We need to open our voices so that people don’t feel ashamed. This is a disease. It is a sickness.”

Lydia Doza (Klamath Falls, OR // Anchorage, AK)

College Student, STEM Advocate

Originally from Anchorage, Lydia Doza’s upbringing in three Alaskan tribes – Inupiaq, Tsimshian, and Haida – as well as her grandmother Joanne’s influence taught her the value of an education and the importance of mentorship. She discovered her passion for engineering early on through her high school robotics team, and, through her involvement with the Administration’s Generation Indigenous initiative to support Native American youth, she’s engaging with rural youth in disciplines across the STEM fields to apply their skills and education. Lydia, 24, is currently pursuing a degree in software engineering technology at Oregon Tech, where she’s also an event organizer for Engineering Ambassadors, which focuses on outreach to kids as young as three years old through high school to encourage a career in engineering. After obtaining her bachelor’s degree, Lydia hopes to work full time as a software engineer while continuing her involvement in the community to promote the importance of STEM and higher education. Lydia ultimately hopes to pursue a master’s degree in data science and encourage more women to go into STEM. Lydia’s mother, Maria Graham, and two brothers, Dorien and Leland, live in Wasilla, Alaska.

Refaai Hamo (Troy, MI)

Syrian Refugee

Growing up in Syria, Refaai Hamo lived what seemed to be the kind of life associated with the American Dream – the son of a farmer and housewife, he worked construction at night to pay his way through college on his way to a PhD, married his college sweetheart and built a family together. This life and happiness changed forever when a Syrian government anti-personnel missile tore through the complex Refaai designed and where his family lived; in total seven of his family members died, including his wife and one daughter. After the bombing, he fled to Turkey but couldn’t make a living without a residence permit and was diagnosed with stomach cancer in a country where he couldn’t seek treatment without insurance or health benefits. After two years in Turkey, he received refugee status to move to Troy, Michigan. Refaai’s story was featured on the website Humans of New York, where he received an outpouring of support and sympathy – including from the President. The President wrote in response to his story, “Welcome to your new home. You’re part of what makes America great.” Refaai arrived in Detroit with his three daughters and son on December 18, and like other families displaced from their homeland, they hope to find a new one in America.

Lisa Jaster (Houston, TX)

Major, U.S. Army Reserve, Ranger School Graduate

Major Lisa Jaster became the first female Army Reserve officer to graduate from the Ranger School, the elite leadership course of the Army. The 37-year-old engineer and mother of two is only the third woman to graduate from Ranger School, which began including female soldiers last year following an Administration directive to lift the ban on women in combat. Lisa graduated from the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York in 2000. She was on active duty for seven years and deployed in support of both Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom before leaving active duty in 2007 to work at Shell Oil Co. In 2012, Lisa returned to service, joining the U.S. Army Reserve, and took a leave of absence from Shell last April to pursue Ranger School. She is married to a Marine with whom she has two children, aged seven and three.

Mayor Mark Luttrell (Shelby County, TN)

Shelby County Mayor

Throughout his career in public service, Republican Mayor Mark Luttrell has built partnerships with local, state and federal agencies, and his unique background has focused him on criminal justice reform. As mayor of Shelby County, Tennessee, he helped create specialty courts for drug, mental health, and veterans’ cases to provide resources for effective rehabilitation instead of ineffectual incarceration. The county also put in place measures to reduce recidivism by streamlining and pooling resources to better provide formerly incarcerated individuals with the tools they need to re-enter society. Afterward, he was appointed as Director of Corrections for Shelby County, Tennessee and served there until he was elected Sheriff in 2002 and subsequently as Mayor in 2010. Mayor Lutrell and his wife, Pat, have three children and six grandchildren.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy (Hartford, CT)

Connecticut Governor

Currently in his second term as Governor of Connecticut, Dannel P. Malloy has pursued many of the progressive priorities that the President laid out to make America stronger. From his criminal justice reforms, including a “Second Chance Society” initiative that emphasizes successfully reintegrating individuals with nonviolent offenses into society, to common-sense gun safety laws following the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, Gov. Malloy has balanced important social reforms with strong economic priorities: Connecticut led America as the first state in the country to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 and pass legislation guaranteeing paid sick leave. Gov. Malloy also oversaw the successful implementation of the Affordable Care Act, driving down the state’s uninsured rate to historic lows and delivered the best job growth since the 1990s. Gov. Malloy and his wife, Cathy, have three sons, Dannel, Ben and Sam.

Braeden Mannering (Bear, DE)

Let’s Move!

After attending the White House Kids’ “State Dinner” as part of Let’s Move! and hearing the President and First Lady’s challenge for kids to make a difference in their own communities, Braeden Mannering, 12, was inspired to act. Braeden started his own nonprofit, Brae’s Brown Bags (3B), which provides healthy food to homeless and low-income individuals in his community. His mission is also to raise awareness about the problems of food insecurity and poverty, and to empower and inspire youth across the nation to become part of the solution. To date, Braeden has activated more than 2,600 volunteers, provided more than 4,500 “brown bags” of healthy food, and raised more than $52,000 for hunger relief. He co-hosted the first “hunger conference” in Delaware to include youth, and he continues to spread his mission in Delaware and other states, speaking at schools, conferences, and legislative sessions. Braeden is in sixth grade at Gauger-Cobbs Middle School and lives in Bear, Delaware with his mother Christy, stepfather Brian, brother Finnegan and sister Amelia. Braeden’s father, Michael, his fiancée Jennifer and their son Michael live in Middletown, Delaware.

Satya Nadella (Bellevue, WA)

Microsoft CEO

Satya Nadella is Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft, a position he’s held since February 2014 at the company he joined in 1992. Microsoft has been a leader in expanding access to computer science in K-12 classrooms, and in Teach.org, a private public partnership to increase awareness of and support for the teaching profession. In September, the company announced a new $75 million effort to expand computer science education, including opportunities for engineers from Microsoft and other companies with teachers to team-teach computer science. In October 2015, under Satya’s leadership, Microsoft increased its paid leave benefits by eight weeks and now includes 20 weeks of paid leave for new mothers and 12 weeks for non-birth parents. Originally from Hyderabad, India, Satya received a master’s in computer science and a master’s in business administration from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and University of Chicago, respectively. Satya and his wife, Anupuma, have three children.

Jim Obergefell (Cincinnati, OH)

Activist

Jim Obergefell was the named plaintiff in the landmark marriage equality case Obergefell v. Hodges, which ruled same-sex couples nationwide have the Constitutional right to marry. In 2013, Jim married his partner of 20 years, John, who was dying of ALS. Their marriage – performed in Maryland – wasn’t recognized in their home state of Ohio, setting off a legal proceeding over whether the marriage should be recognized under Ohio law and listed on John’s death certificate. While they won the initial legal battle, Ohio appealed, and their case eventually made its way to the Supreme Court, which declared marriage equality the law of the land. Jim considers himself an accidental activist, one who became entwined in a political statement larger than himself – a statement of equality and dignity that Americans have been fighting for since this nation’s founding – and he now remains committed to ensuring the civil rights for all Americans.

Chief Kathleen O’Toole (Seattle, WA)

Police Chief, Community Policing

Since 2014, Chief Kathleen O’Toole has led the Seattle Police Department in developing its approach to community policing, and her focus on improving officer morale, implementing new policies and optimizing department resources has received national attention. Under her leadership, the department tested a six-month pilot program for body-worn police cameras focused on public transparency, and the Department of Justice awarded the department a $600,000 grant to expand the program. Last year, the Seattle Police Department presented its policies at the White House Police Data Initiative as part of its renewed emphasis on accountability and transparency. Prior to Kathleen’s role as Chief, she served as Chief Inspector of the Gardia Síochána Inspectorate in Ireland, responsible for developing best practices of the Irish police service and rose the ranks of Massachusetts law enforcement, finishing as the first female Boston police commissioner in 2004. Chief O’Toole is married to a retired police detective, Dan O’Toole, and they have a daughter, Meghan.

Ryan Reyes (San Bernardino, CA)

Activist

Ryan Reyes’s partner Larry “Daniel” Kaufman was one of the 14 victims of the December 2 terrorist attack at Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California. Daniel was a job trainer for adults with developmental disabilities at the Coffee N More shop, and he was on his lunch break at the time of the attack. He is credited with saving the lives of four people when he warned others, urging them to safety, before being shot and killed in the attack. Since Daniel’s death, Ryan, 32, has been vocal about the need for tolerance of all and rejection of the radicalized. “I speak for both Daniel and myself when I say that this attack should NOT encourage people to treat Muslims any differently than they would anyone else,” he wrote to media in the aftermath of the attack. “The twisted actions and beliefs of a few should not be used to view the majority.”

Ronna Rice (Greeley, CO)

Small Business Owner

A family-operated company since 1924 across five generations, Rice’s Lucky Clover Honey specializes in American raw and unfiltered honey for export globally. As CEO, Ronna Rice leads the business. The company has expanded across the U.S. and around the world, most recently in Japan, South Korea and China, allowing the company to grow domestically and hire more employees. Rice’s Lucky Clover Honey has export sales per year of about $500,000, and the 15 jobs in the company are supported by those exports. The company is based in Greeley, Colorado, and Ronna runs the company with her husband Jim, their three children, their son-in-law and a family friend.

Cedric Rowland (Chicago, IL)

ACA Navigator

Cedric Rowland is the lead navigator for Near North Health Service Corporation in Chicago. Working with people to find the best plans available at a price they can afford, Affordable Care Act navigators help people across the country take advantage of the benefits of the Affordable Care Act, and are part of the success of the law. Since November 1, 2015, nearly 11.3 million consumers – more than 3 million of them new customers – have signed up for health care in this open enrollment alone. Our uninsured rate is at the lowest rate on record, coverage is affordable, and we’re seeing a historic slowdown in the growth of health care costs. Cedric’s role in this progress can be seen in the story of Stephanie Lucas. Stephanie has diabetes and no longer qualified for Medicaid, but with Cedric’s help she transitioned to a Marketplace plan that met her needs and let her keep her doctor at a price she could afford – $62 a month after tax credits. Stephanie will watch the State of the Union from the White House. She thanks Cedric, and navigators like him, for helping Americans enroll in quality, affordable health care under the Affordable Care Act. Cedric is a new father of a baby girl.

Naveed Shah (Springfield, VA)

U.S. Army Veteran

Naveed Shah, originally from Saudi Arabia, grew up in the Washington, D.C. suburb of Springfield, Virginia after immigrating to the United States with his Pakistani parents. Like many immigrants who arrive here as children, Naveed noted that his birth country felt foreign while America is home. The terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 marked the ultimate distortion of Naveed’s faith – something he set out to combat, enlisting in the U.S. Army in 2006. He served our country for four years and deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Naveed returned to his hometown in 2010 for college and to work with veterans groups assisting in the transition between military and civilian life. When not volunteering, Naveed works as a real estate agent in Virginia and lives with his fiancé, Ashley, and 7-year-old son, Yusuf.

Earl Smith (Austin, TX)

Veteran

Earl Smith first met then-Senator Barack Obama in February 2008 on the campaign trail at the Austin Hyatt Regency where he worked as the director of security. Encountering him in an elevator, Earl gave the Senator a military patch he had worn serving with an artillery brigade in Vietnam that sustained 10,041 casualties and received 13 Medals of Honor. Smith had held onto his patch for 40 years – from Vietnam, to his 1977 pardon after three years in prison for a wrongful conviction, to global work in the hospitality industry – before parting with it in the elevator that day. Then-Senator Obama carried the patch in his pocket for the rest of the campaign, but Earl had no idea of the impact his story had on the President until he heard it directly from him in the Oval Office in 2013. The patch will be archived in the Obama Library – a reminder of the people who made up the movement that led the President to the White House. Earl and his wife of nearly 35 years, Claudia, have two children.

Spencer Stone (Sacramento, CA)

Staff Sergeant, U.S. Air Force

While on a Paris-bound train with his childhood friends Anthony Sadler and U.S. Army Specialist Alek Skarlatos, Spencer Stone made headlines worldwide in August when the three Americans prevented a potentially catastrophic act of terrorism. Spencer, his two friends and a fourth British passenger subdued a gunman armed with a box cutter, a pistol, a can of lighter fluid, and an assault rifle with 300 rounds of ammunition as he tried to open fire aboard the crowded train. While restraining the suspect who repeatedly slashed with the box cutter, Spencer incurred injury to his neck and hand, nearly losing his finger, and upon return to the United States received a Purple Heart, the Airman’s Medal, and a promotion to Staff Sergeant. The President invited the three friends to the White House where he thanked them in person for saving so many lives and for representing the U.S. with heroism and humility. The 23-year-old EMT hopes to continue his work in medicine and lives in Sacramento, California.

Oscar Vazquez (Fort Worth, TX)

Veteran, DREAMer, STEM leader

Like many DREAMers, Oscar came to the United States as a child in search of a better life. From age 12 when he moved from Mexico to Phoenix, Arizona, Oscar excelled in the classroom. He excelled as a STEM student at Carl Hayden High School and led an unlikely and inspiring story of a group of under-resourced Hispanic high school students who took on an MIT team in an underwater robotics competition and won. That opportunity led to a college education in the STEM field, earning a B.S.E. in mechanical engineering from Arizona State University in May 2009. But without legal status, he couldn’t secure a job to provide for his new wife and newborn child. He returned to Mexico to apply for a visa, and with help from Sen. Dick Durbin, who spoke from the Senate Floor about Oscar’s case, he was granted a green card in August 2010. Six months later, Oscar enlisted in the Army to serve the country he loves and calls home. Oscar served one tour in Afghanistan and is now a proud U.S. citizen. He now works for Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railways as a business analyst in a web app development team, and is a passionate advocate on behalf on expanding STEM opportunities for Latino and other under-represented youth.

NORFOLK, Va. – Anthony L. Burfoot, 48, of Norfolk, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, honest services wire fraud, conspiracy to obtain property under color of official right, obtaining property under color of official right, and perjury. Burfoot is a former Vice Mayor of Norfolk and City Councilman.

According to the indictment, from 2005 through in or about Feb. 15, 2011, Burfoot engaged in a scheme to defraud the citizens of Norfolk of their right to the honest services of a Norfolk Councilman, Vice Mayor, and Chief Deputy Treasurer. Specifically, the indictment alleges that over a period of years, Burfoot solicited things of value including money, car payments, and home appliances from individuals with matters before council and, in exchange, promised to perform specific official acts as well as other actions on an as needed basis on their behalf. The indictment provides detailed allegations of Burfoot’s illicit relationships with the managers of Tivest Development company as well as TA, another developer and local restaurant owner.

The managers of Tivest paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to Burfoot and, in exchange, Burfoot voted in favor of City ordinances that provided City-owned land to Tivest for nominal cost and additional City funds for infrastructure improvements. At Burfoot’s request, TA paid $25,000 to the mother of two of Burfoot’s children after Burfoot promised to obtain the necessary votes for TA to open a gentlemen’s club on Granby Street in Norfolk. Finally, the indictment alleges that Burfoot committed perjury, in numerous ways, by claiming under oath during a federal trial that he had never accepted nor solicited a thing of value in exchange for performing an official act.

The statutes under which Burfoot was charged carry maximum penalties ranging from 5 to 20 years in prison, if convicted. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and John S. Adams, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after the indictment was unsealed. Burfoot is scheduled to appear today for his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa E. O’Boyle, Uzo E. Asonye, and Katherine Lee Martin are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:16-cr-6.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

I wrote a letter calling for the arrest of Michigan Governor Rick Snyder for poisoning the people of Flint. Read it here, sign the petition, and please share!

Dear Governor Snyder:
Thanks to you, sir, and the premeditated actions of your administrators, you have effectively poisoned, not just some, but apparently ALL of the children in my hometown of Flint, Michigan.

And for that, you have to go to jail.

To poison all the children in an historic American city is no small feat. Even international terrorist organizations haven’t figured out yet how to do something on a magnitude like this.

But you did. Your staff and others knew that the water in the Flint River was poison — but you decided that taking over the city and “cutting costs” to “balance the budget” was more important than the people’s health (not to mention their democratic rights to elect their own leaders). So you cut off the clean, fresh glacial lake water of Lake Huron that the citizens of Flint (including myself) had been drinking for decades and, instead, made them drink water from the industrial cesspool we call the Flint River — a body of “water” where toxins from a dozen General Motors and DuPont factories have been dumped for over a hundred years. And then you decided to put a chemical in this water to “clean” it — which only ended up stripping the lead off of Flint’s aging water pipes, placing that lead in the water and sending it straight into people’s taps. Your callous — and reckless (btw, “reckless” doesn’t get you a pass; a reckless driver who kills a child, still goes to jail) — decision to do this has now, as revealed by the city’s top medical facility, caused “irreversible brain damage” in Flint’s children, not to mention other bodily damage to all of Flint’s adults. Here’s how bad it is: Even GM won’t let the auto parts they use in building cars touch the Flint water because that water “corrodes” them (link). This is a company that won’t even fix an ignition switch after they’ve discovered it’s already killed dozens of people. THAT’s how bad the situation is. Even GM thinks you’re the devil.

Maybe you don’t understand the science behind this. Lead, in water — now, bear with me, this involves a science lesson and you belong to the anti-science party, the one that believes there’s not a climate problem and that Adam and Eve rode on dinosaurs 6,000 years ago. Lead is toxic to the human body. There’s no way to fully eliminate it once it’s in your system, and children are the most damaged by it.

By taking away the city’s clean drinking water in order to “cut costs,” and then switching the city’s water supply to Flint River water, you have allowed massively unsafe levels of pollutants and lead into the water that travels in to everyone’s home. Every Flint resident is trapped by this environmental nightmare which you, Governor, have created.

Like any real criminal, when you were confronted with the truth (by the EPA and other leading water experts across America), you denied what you did. Even worse, you decided to mock your accusers and their findings. As I said, I know you don’t like to believe in a lot of science (after all, you used to run Gateway Computers, and that, really, is all anyone needs to know about you), but this time the science has caught up with you — and this time, I hope, it’s going to convict you.

The facts are all there, Mr. Snyder. Every agency involved in this scheme reported directly to you. The children of Flint didn’t have a choice as to whether or not they were going to get to drink clean water. But soon it will be your turn to not have that choice about which water you’ll be drinking. Because by this time next year, if there is an ounce of justice left in this land, the water you’ll be drinking will be served to you from a tap inside Jackson Prison.

I am calling upon my fellow Michiganders — and seekers of justice everywhere — to petition U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, asking her to arrest you for corruption and assault (i.e., the physical assault you committed against the children of Flint when you knowingly poisoned them).

Yesterday, the federal prosecutor in Flint, after many of us had called for months for this action, finally opened up an investigation into the matter (link). Now we need your arrest, prosecution and conviction.

And who will be cheering on that day when you are fitted with a bright orange jumpsuit? The poor and minority communities of Michigan who’ve endured your dictatorial firing of their mayors and school boards so you could place your business friends in charge of their mostly-black cities. They know you never would have done this to a wealthy white suburb.

I welcome all to look at the appalling facts of this case, which have been reported brilliantly here, here, and especially here by the great Rachel Maddow. Thank you, Rachel, for caring so deeply when the rest of the national television media didn’t.

I’m asking everyone who agrees with me to sign on to this petition and call for your arrest, Governor Snyder. You are not allowed to run amok in my hometown like you have done. The children whom you have poisoned have to endure a life of pain and lower IQ’s from your actions. You have destroyed a generation of children — and for that, you must pay.

It is time for you to go to prison. Out of mercy, I’ll ask that you have in your cell your own personal Gateway computer.

Sincerely,
Michael Moore
Flint native
Michigan resident and voter

P.S. For everyone wanting to sign on to this petition calling for the IMMEDIATE resignation of Governor Snyder AND for the FBI to arrest him, please sign the petition petition here: http://michaelmoore.com/ArrestGovSnyder

Nationwide (BlackNews.com) — In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Our primary reason for bringing an end to racial discrimination in America must not be the communist challenge. Nor must it be merely to appeal to Asian and African peoples.

The primary reason for our uprooting racial discrimination from our society is that it is morally wrong. It is a cancerous disease that prevents us from realizing the sublime principles of our Judeo-Christian tradition. Racial discrimination substitutes an I-it relationship for the I-thou relationship. It regulates persons to the status of things.

Whenever racial discrimination exist it is a tragic expression of mans spiritual degeneracy and moral bankruptcy. Therefore, it must be removed not merely because it is diplomatically expedient, but because it is morally compelling.
Perhaps it was these words from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King which compelled Ohio State University Law Student, Ms. Madison Gesiotto, to write and have published in the Washington Times an opinion piece regarding the disproportionate number of African-Americans babies killed by abortion. Ms. Gesiotto obviously observed the systemic and deliberate targeting of African-American babies by the racist Abortion industry lead by Planned Parenthood. No doubt her search led to the founder of Planned Parenthood, Margaret Sanger, who unquestionably was a devout racist and practiced eugenics. Ms. Gesiotto was probably stunned and appalled by the comments and writings of Margaret Sanger such as, [Slavs, Latin, and Hebrew immigrants are] human weeds … a deadweight of human waste … [Blacks, Soldiers, and Jews are a] menace to the race. Or, Eugenic sterilization is an urgent need … We must prevent multiplication of this bad stock… (Margaret Sanger, April 1933, Birth Control Review; italics mine.)
Sanger also wrote, The most merciful thing that the large family does to one of its infant members is to kill it. Here, Sanger argued that, because the conditions of large families tend to involve poverty and illness, it is better for everyone involved if a childs life is snuffed out before he or she has a chance to pose difficulties to its family.

Any more than two children Sanger considered a large family. She went on to say, We should apply a stern and rigid policy of sterilization and segregation to that grade of population whose progeny is tainted, or whose inheritance is such that objectionable traits may be transmitted to offspring. (Women And The New Race, Chapter 6, The Wickedness of Creating Large Families.) As a matter of perspective, Margaret Sanger believed any family with more than two children was large… I was a third child, my mom had five, and we are all doing well, thank you very much.
There is no issue presently impacting Black America more severely than the existing Jim Crow laws of discrimination protecting the Abortion industry and which clearly and empirically substitutes an I-it relationship for the I-thou relationship as expressed so eloquently by Dr. Martin Luther King. The deliberate and systemic targeting of African-American women for Abortion, led by Planned Parenthood, has killed over 18 million African-American children due to an unjust law which relegates persons to the status of things. To see Black Law Students take offense to the racial overtones in their condemnation of Ms. Gesiotto reaches new highs for absurdity and represent a devastating disappointment for African-Americans engaged in social activism. Since its too early to be on retainer by Planned Parenthood, it appears they have swallowed the pill of Political Correctness and drunk the Kool-Aid of ignorance, leaving them deluded and incapable of sorting facts from fiction, thereby failing to come to an objective conclusion. The facts are these:

1. The number one killer of African-Americans is ABORTION! If you were to combine AIDS, violent crimes, accidents, cancer, heart disease, and African-Americans incarcerated, it would not come up to half of those killed by abortion. Thats a fact. (U.S. Center for Disease Control.)

2. 1,786 African-American children are killed by abortion each day in America. Thats a fact. Allen F. Guttmacher past president of Planned Parenthood. (The Guttmacher Institute.)

3. 52% of all African-American pregnancies end in abortion. Thats a fact. (The Guttmacher Institute.)

4. African-American’s make up 12.4% of the population but account for 36% of the abortions. Thats a fact. (U.S. Census Bureau 2006.)

5. Planned-Parenthood is the leading abortion provider in America accounting for 20% of all abortions, therefore, the leading killer of African-Americans, and does not, as was erroneously stated, do mammograms. Thats a fact. (The Washington Post and MRC NewsBusters, October 2, 2015.)

So when Dean Alan C. Michaels of Ohio State University, reprimands a student journalist for giving out facts, chiding her for accurate reporting, pressuring her to come beneath the umbrella of Political Correctness, this surely should be viewed as totally unacceptable from a man of his position and stature. Dean Michaels demand for her to stand with the administrations policy of hiding the facts accepting ideology, as opposed to empirical truths proves we have come to a very sad state of affairs in our universities. For when objectivity is no longer valid, and subjective perspectives not subject to discovery the actual findings after search for factual evidence then the system should be declared invalid, corrupt, and be excised.

I reluctantly welcome Ms. Madison Gesiotto to the world of mainstream American Journalism, where facts are not important, especially whenever they do not confirm nor comport with Political Correctness and personal Correct ideology. Mainstream media now attempts to mold and shape its readers ideas in a fashion which will reflect the institutions philosophy regardless of the empirical sociological facts. I commend you for your courage, Ms. Gesiotto, and the Washington Times for giving you space to convey your opinion.

Ms. Gesiotto, obviously Ohio State has a contrary opinion and they choose to impose it upon you.

Rev. Dr. Clenard H. Childress, Jr. is the founder of www.BlackGenocide.org – a website designed to reach the Afro-American community with the truth about abortion.

Photo: Alan C. Michaels, dean of The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not CopyLine Magazine.

“At a time of grotesque income and wealth inequality and when trillions of dollars have been transferred from the middle class to the top one-tenth of 1 percent over the last 30 years, Secretary Clinton’s proposal is too little too late. In fact, it would raise less than half of what we need just to pay for paid family and medical leave. We need real tax reform which demands that Wall Street, corporate America and the top 2 percent start paying their fair share.”

Has Started the Jordan Michael Filler Foundation to Combat Abuse and Addiction in Illinois

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) announced that Mark Filler of Highland Park, who lost his son Jordan to a heroin overdose in 2014, will be attending the State of the Union as his guest tomorrow evening. Jordan passed away at age 23 after a long battle with drug addiction. His family started the Jordan Michael Filler Foundation, which works with local schools and communities to protect other children and families from the dangers of heroin and drug addiction. Tomorrow, January 12th, will be the two-year anniversary of Jordan’s death.

“As Mark Filler’s family knows, no family is safe from the heroin epidemic that is claiming a life, on average, every three days in the Chicago suburbs. Through programs like the Jordan Michael Filler Foundation and my Anti-Heroin Task Force, we can make families more aware of the warning signs, prevent opiod prescription abuse and make naloxone more available.”

Last year, Senator Kirk wrote to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg to approve the development of intranasal naloxone, a drug that can save lives during an overdose. For example, the spray costs DuPage County $16 per unit compared to $290 per unit for the intravenous form of the drug. Unless fast-tracked, approval for the nasal spray would have taken 7-8 years, a delay that according to current trends would have risked more than 1,000 lives in the Chicago suburbs due to heroin addiction. In July, the FDA accepted nasal naloxone for fast-track approval, and since the device requires minimal training, countless more lives will be saved once naloxone is made more widely available.

Senator Kirk and a bipartisan group of senators also recently wrote a letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Burwell calling for increased access to medication-assisted therapy (MAT) to treat opioid abuse. One month later, HHS complied with their request and raised the number of patients physicians can treat using this proven method. MAT typically involves a combination of medications, including buprenorphine, and therapy to treat opioid abuse while curbing the side effects of withdrawal.

In August, Senator Kirk met with the Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Michael Botticelli to discuss heroin and prescription drug abuse, and the suburban success of naloxone and increasing access to this medication was discussed.

In November, Senator Kirk and Rep. Robert Dold (R-Ill.-10) sent a letter to Larry Merlo, President and CEO of CVS, urging the company to make Illinois one of the states that the pharmacy makes narcan available to consumers without a prescription. It was announced that 20 additional states would be eligible to have naloxone available over the counter at CVS stores – 12 states had already been chosen by the company.

Last month, Senator Kirk worked with his colleagues on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee to include $123 million, an increase of $91 million or 284%, for programs targeted to combat opioid abuse at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Los Angeles, CA (BlackNews.com) – RLJ Entertainment’s (NASDAQ: RLJE) Urban Movie Channel (UMC) will premiere a provocative new thriller of love, betrayal, and vengeance with Adulterers, on January 8, 2016. Produced by and starring Mechad Brooks (Just Wright, Glory Road, Supergirl), the film displays the perils of what takes place after a husband comes home early on the day of his anniversary and finds his wife in bed with another man. The new drama also stars Sean Faris (Pretty Little Liars, The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural), and Danielle Savre (Heroes, Bring it on: All or Nothing).

Directed by H.M. Coakley (Holla I and II), the film takes place on a steamy New Orleans afternoon as Sam Deuprey (Sean Farris) decides to surprise his beautiful wife, Ashley (Danielle Savre) for their anniversary and comes home early to find her in their bedroom, with someone else. She and her lover, Damien (Mechad Brooks) are about to learn how far a jealous husband will go in this twisted psychological drama about dirty little secrets and uncontrollable passions.

Available now at urbanmoviechannel.com, UMC is the first urban-focused streaming service in North America providing quality and exclusive programming for urban audiences. Adulterers is also be available on DVD and Digital Video.
Sign-up today for your free 14-day trial offer at www.urbanmoviechannel.com . To join the conversation, follow @WatchUMC on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook (UrbanMovieChannel).

About UMC
UMC Urban Movie Channel was created by Robert L. Johnson, Chairman of RLJ Entertainment and founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET), UMC is an urban-focused subscription streaming service in North American and features quality urban content showcasing feature films, documentaries, original series, stand-up comedy, and other exclusive content for African American and urban audiences. New titles added weekly include live standup specials like Martin Lawrence Presents: 1st Amendment Stand Up and Comedy Underground Series, and performances featuring Academy Award® winner Jamie Foxx and comedic rock star Kevin Hart; dramas including Blackbird starring Academy Award® winning actress and comedian Mo’Nique, Isaiah Washington, and directed by Patrik-Ian Polk, and Playin For Love, starring and directed by Robert Townsend; documentaries including Bill Dukes Dark Girls and I Aint Scared of You: A Tribute to Bernie Mac; action/thrillers including The Colony starring Laurence Fishburne; and stage play productions including What My Husband Doesnt Know by David E. Talbert. For more information, visit: www.urbanmoviechannel.com

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Welcome to CopyLine Magazine! The first issue of CopyLine Magazine was published in November, 1990, by Editor & Publisher Juanita Bratcher. CopyLine’s main focus is on the political arena – to inform our readers and analyze many of the pressing issues of the day - controversial or otherwise. Our objectives are clear – to keep you abreast of political happenings and maneuvering in the political arena, by reporting and providing provocative commentaries on various issues. For more about CopyLine Magazine, CopyLine Blog, and CopyLine Television/Video, please visit juanitabratcher.com, copylinemagazine.com, and oneononetelevision.com. Bratcher has been a News/Reporter, Author, Publisher, and Journalist for 33 years. She is the author of six books, including “Harold: The Making of a Big City Mayor” (Harold Washington), Chicago’s first African-American mayor; and “Beyond the Boardroom: Empowering a New Generation of Leaders,” about John Herman Stroger, Jr., the first African-American elected President of the Cook County Board. Bratcher is also a Poet/Songwriter, with 17 records – produced by HillTop Records of Hollywood, California. Juanita Bratcher Publisher